


battle cry

by glitch_writes



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Action through metaphors, Gen, Volleyball Match, for the Team Karasuno zine!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2019-11-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:27:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21568384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glitch_writes/pseuds/glitch_writes
Summary: "“Asahi, nice serve!” Daichi calls to the ace like a king’s battle cry to rally his leading knight.To the others, it’s nothing more than practice, the team split into two for a friendly match like any other day.To Tanaka, facing his own team is a battle like none other. It’s here where he proves to the opponents that matter that he’s worthy of inheriting the title “ace”."Tanaka doesn't think he's ready to take the place of the ace he admires, but Karasuno's captain-in-waiting thinks otherwise.
Relationships: Tanaka Ryuunosuke & Ennoshita Chikara, tanaka ryuunosuke & azumane asahi
Kudos: 38





	battle cry

**Author's Note:**

> My piece for the [Team Karasuno zine](https://teamkarasunozine.tumblr.com/)!

Looming walls of impenetrable iron. A grand, vicious king leading a grand, vicious army. The undefeated champions clad in magenta that forced even royalty to their knees.

Battle after battle, Tanaka conquered them all without a shred of fear. 

They were nothing compared to his fiercest rivals - those that fought beside him on the court.

“Asahi, nice serve!” Daichi calls to the ace like a king’s battle cry to rally his leading knight. 

To the others, it’s nothing more than practice, the team split into two for a friendly match like any other day. 

To Tanaka, facing his own team is a battle like none other. It’s here where he proves to the opponents that matter that he’s worthy of inheriting the title “ace”. 

Asahi takes his place at the serving line, ball in hand, taking that heavy breath Tanaka recognizes even from across the court. He’s studied Asahi for nearly two years, both admiring and fearing the senior’s ability to blast through the enemies’ defenses time and again. Triumphs and defeats as twin burdens heavy on Asahi’s sturdy shoulders, the weights of responsibility he carries as he jumps for each spike.

Point after point, match after match, Asahi shows Tanaka what it means to be the ace. 

Asahi clenches his fist, and Tanaka’s heart clenches with it. 

The smack as Asahi’s palm hits the ball echoes in Tanaka’s chest like a war drum, and its beat follows through as it slams into the receiver. 

“Nice receive, Nishi-” he begins by habit as the ball pops up cleaning, but the black jersey in the corner of his eye reminds him that Hinata's not the only rival hot on his heels.

Ennoshita rolls backward from the force till he's on his feet again, not as flawlessly as the libero, but gracefully enough to stir envy - and unease.

Ennoshita may not be a starting player, but it’s by no means because he’s lacking. His spikes are strong and his receives stronger, almost as much a threat to Daichi as he is to Tanaka. 

The beat plays on, a dozen sneakers scuffing up the court, and Tanaka follows the rhythm, running up to the net and jumping in sync. 

He swings, but his hand hits nothing. 

The court’s song ends in triumphant glory - the smack of the spiker’s strike, another lightning-fast slam, Ukai’s whistle sounding the tie, and Hinata’s cheer as he pumps his stinging, red palm into the air. 

Another reminder that Tanaka’s surrounded by rivals, greedy hands clawing at the back of his jersey to fight for Asahi’s title. 

“Ryuu, nice serve!”

He takes his place at the serving line, the weight of his rivals’ gazes on him - from Asahi poised and waiting, to Ennoshita watching from the corner of his eye, to Hinata’s hungry stare at the ball. He closes his eyes to block out the distracting stares of the others and steels himself with a deep breath. 

He imagines Asahi’s clenched fist and the power behind it. The power he needs to prove to, the power he needs to prove himself to.

Without a thought, he clenches his fist. 

His jump lacks Asahi’s imposing presence, his smack of the ball lacks Asahi’s oomph. There’s no war drums or rallies, no power proven, only the ball hitting his side of the net and falling with a dull, anticlimactic thud before Yachi flips the scoreboard in Asahi’s favor. Match point.

The final rally is nothing more than salt sprinkled into his wounded pride as Suga’s serve bounces off his wrist and out of bounds. Ukai’s conclusive whistle blow, his opponents’ cheers, the round of defeated diving receives - all salt burning his pride. 

“Why did you clench your fist like Asahi-san?” Ennoshita asks, lifting his shirt to wipe at the sweat dripping down his cheek. “You know he does it to relax so he doesn’t hit it too far. You’re not there yet.” 

“I know, but- Damn it.” Tanaka runs his hand over his buzzcut, frustrated there’s nothing to pull, frustrated at the question, frustrated at himself. Especially at himself. “I didn’t mean to. I just got distracted cause I was thinkin’, I need to be at his level, you know? I’m supposed to be the ace soon.” 

"Trying to do the same moves that Asahi-san would do…" Ennoshita's smirk oozes smugness to rival Tsukishima when he continues, "You're about a year away from that."

"Did you just-" 

It's not his clearest memory by any means, but the line is enough to spark it - his own damn line he used when Ennoshita was busy beating himself for not being on Daichi's level, all the way back when they were facing Wakutani. 

He had to give it to Ennoshita - both for Tanaka's rare spot wisdom and for remembering it. Not that it made him any less of a bastard for using his own words against him. "Let's not mention any realistic numbers."

Ennoshita's smirk softens - but doesn't lose its smug edge, of course. "You shouldn't compare yourself to Asahi-san, anyways. A year from now, you'll be stronger than him." 

"Hell no, I won't! Have you seen his beefy shoulders? He could pummel us both at once, any day any year."

"Not strong like that," Ennoshita huffs in amusement, but it's not enough to hide the bitterness curling his smile. "You never give up. You never quit the team."

"You still beating yourself up over that?"

"No… Yes. A little. But this is different." Ennoshita meets his eye with a firm determination that hopefully one day he'd acknowledge he's capable of. A real captain-y look about him. "No matter how tough it gets, you never give up. If anything, it makes you work harder, like when you were serving." He rests a hand on Tanaka's shoulder. "That's the most valuable assets an ace can have. Reliability and mental strength."

When Ukai calls out that break is over, Ennoshita pats Tanaka's back hard enough to sting. "Give me your best serve, ace."

A king's battle cry to rally his leading knight before another battle begins, another chance to prove his worth - that no matter how many losses they face, they'll always persevere, they'll never admit defeat. 

Tanaka grins back. "You got it, captain."

Ball in hand, he takes his battle stance at the serving line, ready and determined to claim his victory - and his title. 

**Author's Note:**

> It's been a while since I've posted HQ, huh? It's been a year of projects, [which I wrote about here if you're interested](https://glitch-writes.tumblr.com/post/189304369399/i-wanted-to-give-a-little-recap-on-what-ive-been)


End file.
